“Lavender Festival” in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhaderwah Valley

Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched the two-day “Lavender Festival” in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhaderwah Valley on Sunday, claiming that the Union Territory has emerged as India’s lavender capital and a major agri-startup destination. The CSIR-IIIM organized the festival as part of the institution’s One Week One Lab Campaign. It demonstrates the extraordinary development made in lavender farming as well as the influence it has had on the local community. Singh referred to Bhaderwah as the cradle of India’s purple revolution, praising the region’s accomplishments in boosting lavender production and supporting agri-startups. In terms of land and climate, he believes the Bhaderwah region provides great conditions for lavender farming. Speaking about the impact of lavender farming, Singh stated that it has the ability to generate job and research possibilities, as well as open up new paths for development. According to officials, the CSIR-aroma Mission has been instrumental in boosting lavender growing in the temperate parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Its primary purpose, they stated, is to enhance the income of small and marginal farmers while also encouraging the development of agriculture-based companies. The institute has also provided farmers with end-to-end technology solutions for lavender crop cultivation, processing, value addition, and marketing, they said. The CSIR-IIIM has constructed 50 distillation machines across Jammu and Kashmir to aid in the processing of lavender, according to officials.